UN Chief Condemns Israeli Law Blocking Utilities to UNRWA Facilities
UN Chief Condemns Israeli Law Blocking Utilities to UNRWA Facilities
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United Nations Secretary-General has strongly condemned an Israeli law that would block electricity and water supplies to facilities of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Arab News reported.
Antonio Guterres warned that the move would further undermine humanitarian operations for millions of Palestinians.
The condemnation follows legislation passed by Israel’s parliament in 2024 banning UNRWA from operating inside Israel and prohibiting Israeli officials from engaging with the agency. UNRWA continues to operate in East Jerusalem, which the United Nations considers occupied territory, although Israel claims the entire city as its capital.
UNRWA provides education, healthcare and humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Relations between Israel and the agency have deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza, with Israeli officials repeatedly calling for UNRWA to be dismantled and its responsibilities transferred to other UN bodies.
The move to block utilities comes as Israel has also suspended dozens of international non-governmental organizations operating in Gaza under new vetting requirements. In a joint statement, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom warned that such actions could severely restrict access to essential services, noting that one-third of Gaza’s healthcare facilities could shut down if NGO operations cease.
